Information on the Sale of Planting Seed in Arkansas

Any person who sells, offers for sale, or distributes agricultural* seed for planting purposes within or into the state shall have in force a valid Seed Labeler's License, pay the required tonnage fees, and label the seed in accordance with Circular 10: Regulations on the Sale of Planting Seed in Arkansas. There are some exceptions for the license requirements.**

A COMPLETE ANALYSIS (germ & purity) is required to supply the labeling information on all agricultural seed sold for planting purposes, bulk or bagged. The information required on the label is listed below: (The labeling information on bulk sales must accompany each sale, either on the invoice or on a separate sheet or tag.)

1. The seedman's name and address.
2. The kind and variety, or if variety is not listed, the words "Variety Not Stated." Exception: In seed of wheat, soybeans, rice and cotton, the label must contain the variety name. Note: See Circular 10, Section 2. D for cover crop exception on wheat and other requirements on labeling variety and brands.)
3. The Lot Number.
4. The state where the seed was grown; if unknown, a statement to that effect.
5. The year grown for certified cotton.
6. The percentage of pure seed.
7. The percentage of weed seed, including noxious weeds.
8. The percentage of other crop.
9. The percentage of inert matter.
10. The percentage of germination, exclusive of hard seed, and percentage of hard seed, if present.
11. The date the germination test was completed, given by month and year. The test is valid for nine months,
    not including the month the seed was tested.
12. Net weight of contents, with the exception of corn, which may be on the label or bag in the vicinity of the
    label.
13. Any tall fescue must show on the tag that the seed contains ryegrass, if any, and the amount given in
    percentage. If no ryegrass is found in the sample, the tag shall state, "No Ryegrass Found".
14. Name and number of noxious weed seeds present per pound, or if none are present, a statement to that
    effect.

If the seed is treated, there are additional requirements for labeling, either on the analysis tag, a separate treatment tag, or on a side or top of the container. The label must show the name of the substance used for treatment, the appropriate toxicity category signal word and a precautionary statement such as: “Do not use for
food, feed or oil purposes”.

* Agricultural seed includes the seeds of grass, forage, cereal, and fiber crops and any other kinds of seeds commonly recognized within the state as agricultural seed and mixtures of such seeds. Garden and lima beans, spinach, mustard, turnip, and garden pea seed is included as agricultural seed when in containers of 25 pounds or more.

You DO NOT need the $250 annual Seedsman's license if:

1. You grow 100 acres or less of certified seed and only sell your own production of bagged and tagged
   Arkansas Certified seed. (You will need a $100 certification permit, and follow regulations in Circ. 15: Official Standards for Seed Certification in Arkansas.)
2. You only sell seed that has been sampled, tested, and for which labels have been completely printed by the State Plant Board. In order for the Plant Board to print labels, our inspector must draw the sample from cleaned, bagged seed, and you must label the seed by variety name. Form DV-88: Declaration of Variety for Non-Certified Seed, must be on file at the Plant Board. (If you just want information on the seed's value for planting, you may sample the seed in bulk or bag and send it in for testing, but it will not be eligible for Plant Board printed tags.)
3. You only sell seed obtained from a licensed seedsman who is in full compliance with these regulations(Circ.10), which includes paying the tonnage fees on the seed. (Exception-see requirements on subsidiary locations under information sheet on Frequently Asked Questions: Seed Labeler’s License - Other Location)